Echoes of past at play in Ukraine invasion
False claims, greed also behind War of 1812, writes Fred Clipsham.
President James Madison launched the War of 1812 on June 19 under circumstances eerily similar to those in Ukraine today. Annexation of Canada into the United States was his goal.
The time was ripe. British forces were occupied by the war with Napoleon, leaving only 1,800 Redcoats to defend the vast frontier of Upper Canada and its 80,000 inhabitants. Americans outnumbered Canadians more than 20 to one.
The Americans invaded on three fronts: the Detroit River in the west; the St. Lawrence River in the east; and the Niagara River in the middle. The first force to invade was led by Gen. William Hull. “Inhabitants of Canada!” he proclaimed, “The army under my command has invaded your country … You will be emancipated from tyranny and oppression.” As his forces advanced along the Thames River they “liberated” homes and farms by pillaging and burning them. That was to be common practice. Whole towns were burned over the coming months, including the provincial capital, York, in the spring of 1813, and later that year the town of Niagara during a December blizzard, leaving the residents to perish in the cold.
Fortunately, a hero of the resistance had arisen. Men between 16 and 60 were required to serve in the militia, and Maj.-gen, Isaac Brock organized and trained them as infantry, artillery, cavalry and even a Great Lakes naval unit.
Full-time, professionally trained colonial regiments, including the Glengarry Light Infantry, the Canadian Fencibles, the Voltigeurs in Lower Canada, and the 104th New Brunswick Regiment, plus contingents of First Nations warriors were at his command. He pressed the American invaders on all three fronts.
Brock's strategies and leadership inspired a very stout defence. Despite the odds, and with the help of First Nations warriors led by Shawnee chief Tecumseh, he drove Hull's army from the province and then defeated him at Fort Detroit. Alas, he later perished from musket fire at Queenston Heights in October of 1812.
The British finally settled on his successor over a year later, but only after the Americans had occupied parts of Upper Canada. Lt.-gen. Gordon Drummond had instant success, leading troops to victories on American soil at Fort Niagara and Buffalo. But his biggest test was yet to come.
On July 3, 1814, a highly trained force of 5,000 Americans rowed across the Niagara River with the objective of conquering Canada. Their first target was Fort Erie, directly across the river from Buffalo and guarding the entrance to Lake Erie. The 137 Canadian troops garrisoned there quickly surrendered and the Americans began their march northward, meeting fierce resistance along the way. On July 25 came the bloody battle at Lundy's Lane, where four of the five generals present were casualties.
The Americans retreated back to Fort Erie and proceeded to transform the small stone fort into a strategic stronghold sheltering 3,000 soldiers. They awaited reinforcements.
Gen. Drummond was wounded in the neck but continued to lead. His job now was to contain the Americans at Fort Erie and prevent them from obtaining their objective of flying the Stars and Stripes over Upper Canada.
In his excellent 2017 book, A History of Canada in Ten Maps, Adam Shoalts describes the siege of Fort Erie and the bloody and unsuccessful attempt to storm it on Aug. 15, 1814. The Canadians lost many more men than their opponents and were at risk of failing in their purpose of halting the invaders.
Things might have turned out much differently had not the British defeated Napoleon, freeing up troops to defend the colonies in North America. The Redcoats captured Washington and burned the White House on Aug. 25.
By Nov. 5 all the invading forces had retreated across the border. Seven weeks after that the Americans sued for peace, relinquishing all claims to Canada.
Territorial greed; savagery; false claims — sound familiar?